1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera of the type which is adapted to record information regarding print formats designated for exposed frames on a film which is read and used to make prints in the designated print formats from the negative film in a printing system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, as one of printing systems of this type, Advanced Photo System (APS) has become popular in the photographic field. Cameras suitably adapted to APS on the market, which has always made exposures of a film loaded therein in a standard format through a standard exposure aperture frame, can selectively designate available print formats, such as conventional, high-vision and panoramic, for exposed frames of the film and record optical or magnetic information of the designated print formats which are used to make prints of the exposed frame in the designated print format. In APS the conventional print format, which is referred to as a xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d print format, has a print size of 15.6xc3x9722.3 mm, the high-vision print format, which is referred to as an xe2x80x9cHxe2x80x9d print format, has a print size of 15.6xc3x9727.4 mm, and the panoramic print format, which is referred to as a xe2x80x9cPxe2x80x9d print format, has a print size of 9.6xc3x9727.4 mm. After development of a film exposed by such a camera, a printer automatically reads the information for each exposed frame on the film and make a print of a central portion of the exposed frame according to the designated print format. Because the camera adapted to APS is not necessary to change the format of exposure aperture, mechanically or physically, even while the camera can be miniaturized and is provided at low costs, it is quick and easy to designate a desired print format for each exposed frame.
In addition to the feature of print format designation, what is called xe2x80x9celectronic zoomingxe2x80x9d has been proposed as a pseudo-zooming function in APS. In a camera equipped with the feature of electronic zooming, when entering a demand for electronic zooming, information regarding an entry of an electronic zooming demand or an entry of a zooming ratio is recorded on an information recording area of each exposed frame on a film, optically or magnetically. The information is read and used to make a print of a central portion of the exposed frame at a print magnification according to the designated zooming ratio. Cameras which are equipped with a zoom lens and have an electronic zooming feature can provide a print with an image with a resultant zooming effect greater than a greatest optical zooming (zooming by a zoom lens) effect obtainable by the zooming lens. A device that has been contrived in connection with such a camera is a rocking optical zooming switch such as described in, for example, Japanese Utility Model No. 2550828, which is designed and adapted to cause the zoom lens to shift toward the telephoto end while pushed at one of its opposite ends and toward the wide-angle end while pushed at another end and further to effect an entry of an electronic zooming demand when pushed at its center portion between the opposite ends. While this rocking optical zooming switch is convenient in light of that both optical zooming and electronic zooming are effected through a single operating member, it difficult to distinguish part of the zooming switch for electronic zooming from parts for optical zooming, visually and feelingly, as a result of which it is worried about that the optical zooming switch is accidentally operated at the center portion while operated to effect optical zooming.
There have not yet been brought up realistic problems of incorporating the electronic zooming feature into the feature of print format designation nor any solution for the problems. In APS, the print magnification depends upon print formats designated during taking a photograph. Specifically, when letting a print magnification for the xe2x80x9cHxe2x80x9d print format be xc3x971, the print magnification is xc3x971 for the xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d print format and xc3x971.7 for the xe2x80x9cPxe2x80x9d print format. This causes the potential problem that, while image quality of prints made in these print formats is satisfied, prints made in the xe2x80x9cPxe2x80x9d print format, strictly speaking, are inferior in image quality to prints made from the xe2x80x9cHxe2x80x9d or the xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d print format. In the APS print process into which the electronic zooming feature is involved, when letting a zooming ratio be xc3x971.7 which is the print magnification for the xe2x80x9cPxe2x80x9d print format, the resultant print magnification are xc3x971.7, xc3x971.7 and xc3x972.9 for xe2x80x9cHxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cPxe2x80x9d print format, respectively. The print magnification xc3x972.9 is too great, so as thereby to cause further aggravation of image quality for the xe2x80x9cPxe2x80x9d format prints which is unacceptable. While it is possible to provide high image quality of prints even made in the xe2x80x9cPxe2x80x9d print format by using films with improved granularity and sharpness, however, there possibly occurs aggravation of image quality of prints made in various print formats in APS process although latent images on a film is not affected in quality by the electronic zooming and/or the designation of print formats. This is because both print format designation and electronic zooming are primarily carried out as a preliminary operation, mechanically and physically or optically, and manifested as an pseudo effect during making prints. The propriety of combinations of various print formats and electronic zooming ratios depends on properties and formats of photographic films for use with the camera, print formats that are regularly employed, etc. and, therefore, improper combinations have to be prohibited from being affected. For example, when the xe2x80x9cPxe2x80x9d print format is designated, an entry of an electronic zooming demand must be prevented. If trusting an elimination of such an unacceptable combination of a print format and a zooming ratio to photographers, the camera conveys an impression of inconvenient operation because the photographer has to make exposures in consideration of unacceptable combinations of print formats and electronic zooming ratios. Moreover when trusting the elimination of the unacceptable combinations of print formats and zooming ratios possibly, it is difficult to protect the photographer from selecting an unacceptable combination.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a camera which can designate print formats and zooming ratios selectively in combination
It is therefore another object of the present invention to provide a camera which can indicate a selection of an unacceptable combination of zooming ratios and print formats.
It is therefore still another object of the present invention to provide a camera which enables photographers to effect both an entry of electronic zooming demand and designation of print format safely, easily and securely.
In order to achieve the foregoing object of the present invention, the camera equipped with a power-driven zoom lens installed thereto which comprises:
an information recording device operative to record information on a film loaded in the camera;
an optical zooming member capable of rocking in opposite directions about a pivot axis perpendicular to an optical axis of the zoom lens to drive the zoom lens in opposite directions along the optical axis between the telephoto end and a wide-angle end; and
an electronic zooming demand entry member installed into a center portion of the optical zooming member and movable in the optical axis relatively to the optical zooming member, the electronic zooming demand entry member, when moved, effects an entry of an electronic zooming demand for an exposed frame of the film by causing the information recording device to record information regarding the entry of an electronic zooming demand on the film.
In the camera, the optical zooming member and the electronic zooming demand entry member are independently operated to effect optical zooming and entering an electronic zooming demand, respectively. It is easy to distinguish between operating members for optical zooming and electronic zooming, so as to eliminate operational fails. An arrangement of these two members at the same position, more specifically, the arrangement in which the electronic zooming demand entry member is installed into a center portion of the optical zooming member makes a photographer to shift a fingers to the electronic zooming demand entry member from the optical zooming member without taking off the finger at a moment when the photographer intends to effect the electronic zooming in the course of effecting the optical zooming while the photographer views a scene through a view finder, so as thereby to realize the photographer""s intention without missing a shutter chance.
According to a preferred embodiment of the camera, the electronic zooming demand entry member at an outside end projects away from an outside surface of the optical zooming member in the direction so as to move toward the first operating member. This makes the photographer perceive the electronic zooming demand entry member from a feeling of the finger while operating the optical zooming member, which improves easy operation of the members.
The electronic zooming demand entry member and the optical zooming member may be colored differently. This improves clear visual perception of the electronic zooming demand entry member and improvement of easy operation of the members.
In order to achieve the foregoing object of the present invention, the camera which is of a type able to selectively designate a plurality of print formats for an exposed frame of a film loaded therein which is used to make a print from the exposed frame of the film after development in a designated print format by a printer and to enter an electronic zooming demand for an exposed frame of the film which is used to make a print from the exposed frame of the film after development at a demanded zooming ratio by the printer, comprises:
an information recording device operative to record information on a film loaded in the camera;
a print format designation member movable between a plurality of positions assigned to a plurality of print formats, respectively, and operative to effect designation of the print formats according to the positions by causing the information recording device to record information regarding the print format for an exposed frame of the film on the film according to the position into which the print format designation member is moved;
an electronic zooming demand entry member operative to make a mechanical action through which an entry of an electronic zooming demand is effected for an exposed frame of the film by causing the information recording device to record information regarding the entry of an electronic zooming demand on the film; and
a blocking mechanism operative to block the electronic zooming demand entry member so as to prevent the electronic zooming demand entry member from making the mechanical action while the print format designation member designates a specific one of the print formats or to permit the electronic zooming demand entry member to make the mechanical action while the print format designation member designates the remaining ones of the print formats other than the specific print format
In the camera, when a predetermined unacceptable print format is designated in combination of an entry of an electronic zooming demand, the electronic zooming demand entry member is disabled to make a mechanical action necessary to enter an electronic zooming demand, so as to eliminate a fail to set the camera in the unacceptable combination.
According to a preferred embodiment of the camera, wherein the print format designating member slides between the position for the specific print format and the positions for the remaining print formats and the blocking mechanism prevents the mechanical action of the electronic zoming demand entry member in the position for the specific print format or permits the mechanical action of the electronic zooming demand entry member in the positions for the remaining print formats. The blocking mechanism may be having a part entering, or otherwise escaping from, a path of movement of the electronic zooming demand entry member so as to prevent the electronic zooming member to act mechanically. The blocking mechanism may comprise a blocking lever which is formed as a part of the print format designation member and is placed in a path of the mechanical action of the electronic zooming demand entry member so as thereby to prevent the mechanical action of the electronic zooming demand entry member in the position for the specific print format
According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention the camera may further comprise a power-driven zoom lens installed to the camera and capable of shifting in focal length and an optical zooming member capable of rocking in opposite directions about a pivot axis perpendicular to an optical axis of the zoom lens to drive the zoom lens in opposite directions along the optical axis between a telephoto end and a wide-angle end, wherein the electronic zooming demand entry member comprises a push button installed in the optical zooming member in an approximately center position of the optical zooming member. During effecting the zooming function of the camera, i.e. optical zooming or electronic zooming, both zooming members are operable at the same position.
The camera may be of a type for use with a film adapted to Advanced Photo System. In such a case, the print format may include at least a panoramic print format as the specific format, a conventional print format and a high vision print format.
In order to achieve the foregoing object of the invention, the camera which is of a type able to selectively designate a plurality of print formats for an exposed frame of a film loaded therein which is used to make a print from the exposed frame of the film after development in a designated print format by a printer and to enter an electronic zooming demand for an exposed frame of the film which is used to make a print from the exposed frame of the film after development at a demanded zooming ratio by the printer, comprises:
an information recording device operative to record information on a film loaded in the camera;
a print format designation member movable between a plurality of positions assigned to different print formats, respectively, and operative to effect designation of the print format for an exposed frame of the film according to the positions by causing the information recording device to record information regarding the position into which the print format designation member is moved on the film;
an electronic zooming demand entry member operative to effect an entry of an electronic zooming demand for the exposed frame of the film by causing the information recording device to record information regarding the electronic zooming demand on the film; and
refusing means for refusing a combination of the entry of the electronic zooming demand and designation of a specific one of the print formats.
According to the camera having the refusing means for for refusing a combination of the entry of the electronic zooming demand and designation of a specific one of the print formats, it is possible to incorporate both features of print format designation and electronic zooming demand entry.
The refusing means may cause the information recording device to record information indicating the designation of the specific print format when the print format designation member is moved to the position assigned to the specific print format and information indicating no entry of the electronic zooming demand even when the electronic zooming demand entry member is operated to effect an entry of the electronic zooming demand. Otherwise, the refusing means causes the information recording device to record information indicating the designation of the print format other than the specific print format which is allowed to be designated in combination with the entry of the electronic zooming demand even when the print format designation member is moved to the position assigned to the specific print format and information indicating an entry of the electronic zooming demand when the electronic zooming demand entry member is operated to effect the entry of the electronic zooming demand. In this case, the unacceptable combination of a print format and an electronic zooming demand entry is automatically escaped by changing the print format The refusing means preferably disables the electronic zooming demand entry member from operating when the print format designation member is moved to the position assigned to the specific print format.
The camera may be provided with indication means for indicating that the combination of the entry of the electronic zooming demand and the designation of the specific print formats. This makes photographers know that an entry of an electronic zooming demand is made in combination with an unacceptable print format.
The information recording device is preferably located in a specified position relative to an exposure aperture of the camera. This makes it possible to record information during advancing the film so as to place an exposure frame next to the exposed frame in position.